Connections
by Kalystia
Summary: Is it fate that Xander has always had a connection to the slayer(s)? post S7
1. the future

Connections  
By Kalystia  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. There might be an original character in a later chapter, but as of right now, I don't own anything.  
  
Author's Notes: Ok, I didn't want to start yet another story, cause I have three WIPs right now besides this, and so many one shots that I really want to right, but this plot bunny won't leave me alone. I'm putting up the prologue unbetad for the moment, but the rest might be a long time in coming (partially because this term is kicking my ass and partially cause of the other stories). Anyway, let me know what you think! All comments appreciated, but try not to give a review like "it sucks" cause that doesn't help me out at all. Hope you enjoy!  
  
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It was always weird to me, how I found out about the Slayer. I wasn't attempting to find out about her, to find out about what goes bump in the night. I just stumbled onto it. That always struck me as weird. How were Willow and I the first two that just happened to stumble into it? Were Slayers and Watchers just good at cover-ups, or were there others?  
  
I have to think there were others, but with all I've found out over the last few days, I'm not so sure anymore.  
  
I always thought to myself that it was weird I am the only guy Buffy can keep around. Well human guy at least, that isn't a watcher. But I guess I'm not so human after. I'm getting ahead of myself with that though. Then Faith, I am really attracted to Faith, and I think she is still pretty attached to me. She now admits that she was even back when she first arrived in Sunnydale. Kendra and I even shared a few moments when we talked. And then when the potentials started rolling in, I overhead them all saying that I was only person they felt comfortable talking to.  
  
I brushed all this off at first. I was the normal guy, the goofball, the joker. The one who has everything bad happening to him. But that was before, before the destruction of Sunnydale.  
  
Throughout the years, I did think it was weird that whenever I wanted to leave Sunnydale I really couldn't. I always felt like I needed to be back there. Always got a feeling that there was something that I needed to do there. Like the feeling you get when you know you are forgetting something. Or when you put up a big flashing sign in your head saying don't forget this, and you remember the sign and you don't know what you were supposed to remember. I always felt that way leaving Sunnydale. I didn't go back to Sunnydale early after my road trip for the reasons I told everyone. Yes my car did break down, but I needed to go back. I didn't think I would be able to function not going back.  
  
At the time, I thought I was being ridiculous. That this was just some wacko case of homesickness. That I needed to get a grip. But after a few weeks when it didn't go away, and after a few phone calls to Giles to see that yes everything was fine. I still needed to go back home. And then when I got to Sunnydale everything was ok again.  
  
This went on for the next few years, until Sunnydale becoming the Sunnydale crater. But before that I always felt the need to be in Sunnydale, and there were a few times that I felt the need to get to LA, but they passed quickly.  
  
I was prepared for the same thing to happen after the mess with the First. But it didn't. After two weeks, we were in London, and it still hadn't happened. And I got my first clue something weird was going on with me then too.  
  
And that sent me to where I am now, and what I'm doing now. I'm writing this all down so that Watchers of the future will know what happens, and what to do. Well really, Giles is making me write this all down. But he is right it's a good idea. It would have saved Wood if we had found this out only a few days earlier.....but again, I get ahead of myself.  
  
This is my story. Who am I? Alexander (Xander) Harris. What am I? Frankly, we're still trying to figure that out. 


	2. Part I

Connections  
By Kalystia  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. There might be an original character in a later chapter, but as of right now, I don't own anything.  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks so much for all the reviews from the first chapter! It got me writing this so much faster then I normally would. I very much appreciate it, if I didn't send you an email to tell you. Please leave your emails when you review so I can answer questions or just say thank you. Also, this is not betaed at the moment. If anyone would like to be a beta for this story let me know at kalystia1983@yahoo.com Anyway, enjoy and review!  
  
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Xander Harris is in a state of shock. No, shock is putting it mildly, he is in a state of ....well he doesn't know what he is in a state of, and just that it is something not pleasant. He leans back against the seat of the cab he is in and again stars at the print off the email in his hands. If only he had checked his email a few days earlier.....  
  
He stops that thought quickly. He knows it wouldn't have done him any good to do that, to have checked his email before the destruction of Sunnydale, or to get this specific email before then. It would have created more questions for them too answer, and possibly more resistance for the spell to activate all the Slayers.  
  
As the cab driver pulls up outside the hotel they are all staying at while in London, Xander runs a hand through his hair, hoping Giles is there when he got up to his room. He needs to know if Giles had any idea about this, about what his mother had been, about what he might be.  
  
He makes his way quickly through the lobby, noting a few of the new Slayers leaving while he is coming in, trying to look normal for them. The grapevine in the Slayer group is quick, and he knows that if he walks in to the hotel stressed, it will get around.  
  
As the lift doors close, Xander again looks at the email from his mother. He closes his eyes, mourning her death for a few moments, the email now making it a fact that she was in Sunnydale when it did its whole sinkhole, Grand Canyon impression. Three people he loved were lost that day, his father having been there too.  
  
Xander steps out of the lift and knocks on Giles's door.  
  
"I told you that you are able to.......Oh hello Xander," Giles says looking a bit frazzled.  
  
Xander forces a grin, "Having a bit of trouble with the newbies?"  
  
"Yes, quite a bit." Giles studies the man in front of him, "Xander?"  
  
"I need to talk to you."  
  
Giles steps aside and lets Xander in. Xander sits down on the bed, and Giles takes a seat in one of the chairs in the room. He waits for Xander to start speaking, knowing that is probably one of the best ways to get all the information out of him, a way to get him not to retreat into the jokes he uses to hide all the time.  
  
Xander looks at the paper in his hands, then at Giles. "I was around Piccadilly Circus, doing some sight seeing, and I saw an internet café. I realized that I hadn't checked my email in weeks. You know really I hadn't since my accident, now that work stuff wasn't there, I didn't see the need to, not much other then that lately, and since we were so busy....." Xander shakes his head. "Anyway, I checked it. And I had an email. From my mother. And, well, let's just say I don't know what to make of it."  
  
Giles looks at him, "Did your mother leave?"  
  
"No," Xander closes his eyes, "No she and my father were both still in Sunnydale at the end, it sounded like she knew it in the email too, but she wanted it to end I think."  
  
"I'm sorry Xander. How do you believe that she knew?" Giles asks slightly perplexed.  
  
"Well, you see that brings me to my real problem with this whole email." Xander looks Giles straight in the eye, "Have you ever heard of a Slayer by the name of Jessica Leonard?"  
  
"Yes, of course, she was a Slayer in the Northwestern US for about a year and a half during the late 70s or early 80s," Giles looks at Xander, "why do you ask?"  
  
"It was my mother's birth name, Leonard."  
  
"Are you saying that you are related to a Slayer Xander?"  
  
"No Giles, I'm saying that according to this email my mom sent, she was a Slayer. She was Jessica Leonard."  
  
Giles immediately removed his glasses and started wiping them clean. "How is that possible?"  
  
"According to what she said to me in the email, she died, but was brought back. Her Watcher was close enough to her to revive her and get her to a hospital after she was killed by a Vamp called Tanner. When he called the Council to tell them about what had happened, they immediately gave him their condolences. Apparently one of the Potentials that the Council had been called. He decided to keep it a secret from the Council, because he always felt that Jessica wasn't cut out to be a Slayer. He is called back to London, and doesn't leave before he sets her up with a new everything, including a new last name. After she gets out of the hospital, she goes to LA tracking down this Tanner guy and ends up killing him. In the process, she meets my dad. Her dream, sort of like Buffy's for a while, was to have a normal life. So she settles down to have the whole dream family." Xander looks up at Giles. "Everything Ok so far?"  
  
"Yes, do go on."  
  
Xander nods and continues, "She kept in contact with her old Watcher, but she was already pregnant with me. He argued with her when he found out, because he was afraid of what I would be. No Slayer that had already been called had had a child. Wood was born, as I'm sure you know before his mother was called, and her old Watcher was afraid of what I would be. If I would be evil, or super powerful or something. He wanted to confess everything to the Council and have her bring me to them. She refused and she and Dad moved to Sunnydale. It was the one place she could think of where her old Watcher, James Bartlett by the way, wouldn't find her. She never wanted to go to the Hellmouth; she repeatedly told him that, it scared her. So she moved there." Xander pauses, thinking about something, "How much....how much do you know about my home life?"  
  
Giles sighs, "Enough to know it wasn't good, and I apologize for that immensely, I should have done something...."  
  
Xander cuts him off, "Not your fault, don't apologize for it. I handled it, and besides you had more important things to handle, we had a crisis almost every week for a few years there." Xander looks down at the email before continuing, "Mom started drinking to get over the fact that she was on the Hellmouth. She wanted to protect me from the Slayer lifestyle, but she says the years started to escape her. Every time that she brought up moving to my father after living in Sunnydale for a while, he refused, so they stayed. I know now that she realized what was going on with Buffy and you. She said that she wanted me to know many times, but she didn't say anything. She was too afraid of what I might be, and she just hoped that I would get out of it. I never did, I don't think I could even if I wanted to. And she was also afraid of you, what you might do if you found out, to both her and me."  
  
"Xander I know you feel strongly about helping people, but even you can take a break once in a while, you can get out of this as you say."  
  
Xander lets out a laugh, "No G-man don't think I could. This email made a few more things make sense to me, actually made a lot more things make sense to me."  
  
"Such as....."  
  
"Such as I didn't come back from that road trip after senior year because my car broke down and couldn't make it any farther then Oxnard. I was almost dieing if I went farther then Oxnard with the overwhelming need to get back to Sunnydale. I couldn't handle it, I was having panic attacks. It happened again when I "went away" after the whole wedding debacle. I think it might have something to do with this."  
  
"It quite possibly could," Giles sits in thought for a moment, "If your mother knew something was wrong, why didn't she leave?"  
  
"This is the part I hate about all of this," Xander says, "Apparently she had a vision of herself, telling her that it was the end and that she was done, and that because her Watcher rescued her she brought the evil into the world. I'm guessing it was the First. But I'm also guessing this little rift that brought the first out wasn't just activated by us."  
  
"We'll look into that later. Did Mr. Bartlett have any theories on what he thought you might be? And has this desire to be back in Sunnydale come back?"  
  
"She didn't say what the theories were; just that she didn't like what he had to say. And no, I've been fine since Sunnydale sunk."  
  
Giles looks at the younger man. "Xander, I can do a few things right now. We can keep this between you and me, and keep this as a side project, research it whenever we can. We could let everyone know and turn it into a full-fledged research project. Or we can find Mr. Bartlett, find out his theories, if you would like contact with him."  
  
Xander leans his head into his hands for a second, thinking, and then looks over at Giles. "I don't want to worry everyone. We just came out of so much; I want them to relax for a while, especially Buffy, Dawn, and Willow. But I need to know. I need to know what affect this has on me. I need to know why I was drawn to Sunnydale. I think we need to find Mr. Bartlett."  
  
"I'll go over to the temporary headquarters and do it now," Giles says in his most reassuring voice, hoping that James Bartlett is still alive, or at least has left records. "Right now, why don't you go to your room and try to get a bit of sleep."  
  
"Sleep might be a good idea," Xander says heading out of the room. As his hand reached the doorknob, he is stopped by Giles's voice.  
  
"I am sorry for your lose Xander."  
  
Xander offers him a tight smile, "thanks." And with that, he leaves the room.  
  
Giles stands there staring at the door for a moment. "I'm also sorry for what you have gained with this." 


	3. Part II

Connections  
By Kalystia  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. There might be an original character in a later chapter, but as of right now, I don't own anything.  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks for all your reviews! Please keep them coming! If you want to email me directly its kalystia1983@yahoo.com Also, if anyone would like to beta this let me know! This copy is unbetaed so be kind.  
  
********************************** Rupert Giles is used to having his patience tried. After a month with Buffy, let alone 7 years in knowing her, he had learned to deal with the frustrating and having his patience tried. Add in Xander and Willow, and he had learned patience and to be flexible very quickly.  
  
But as of now, his patience is wearing thin. He found no one who knew of where James Bartlett was after 10 years ago, and he couldn't find his old journals. But he was talking to one of Bartlett's old classmates from field watcher training, and his close friend and Giles didn't like what he was hearing.  
  
"So Bartlett felt that it would be dangerous if a Slayer had a child?" Giles asks the man, Evans.  
  
"Yes," Evans says, "we didn't feel that it was that too permanent though at the time, who thought a Slayer would live long enough to have a child. Now, though, his ideas might be good to flesh out a bit, unfortunately I think all records were lost."  
  
"Do you recall anything?" Giles asks getting even more frustrated.  
  
"Just that he was afraid that the Slayer spirit would get transferred somehow to the child. That there would be consequences on the child, unknown consequences of course. The problem would be greater though if it was a male child, because the Slayer spirit is meant to work with females. It is one girl....well now many girls, but still females. We have no way of knowing how a Slayer spirit would act with a male host, no matter how small of a part of the Slayer spirit," Evans answered.  
  
"Did he say where he could find these answers?"  
  
"He was researching tribes in Africa last time I heard from him. I knew that he was headed to South Africa as a field watcher, but I know that he never made his post. He was headed there with his family; his wife was pregnant at the time. We never had contact with him again," Evans sighed.  
  
Giles removed his glass, "Thank you Evans. If you remember anything else, I would very much appreciate it. There is a bit going on right now with all the new Slayers, but we need to start looking into this."  
  
"Actually before I leave I meant to mention something to you, even last year."  
  
Giles looks up at the man, "I'm listening."  
  
"I tried to mention this last year, but everyone remembered Bartlett for his Slayer children ideas, but he did have another thing he was researching. He was researching what would happen if there were two Slayers. I never knew how he knew it would happen; it was years before the whole problem occurred. But he was focusing on what would happen, he was focusing on the First specifically. The first thing that would bring a rift for the first is two Slayers, then something happening ridiculously like having three Slayers, then like something that happened to Miss Summers. But he was very specific on the need for three Slayers before something could happen. I don't know if that means anything to you, but I thought I should mention it," Evans says.  
  
"Well thank you," Giles says getting up and shaking the mans hand. "Please if you remember anything else let me know, and if there is anything that I can do, if you have any more theories let me know."  
  
Evans nods at Giles and leaves. Giles almost collapses in his chair. The only thing that he can recommend doing is trying to find Bartlett. But where. South Africa of course, but what can he do, send someone there on a wild goose chase? He couldn't do that. And Evans was his best bet, and he gave him nothing more then danger. No more information that he could bring back to Xander, to let him know that it is going to be alright.  
  
And he didn't want to bring Xander's status out in the open yet. Giles still does not trust all elements in the new council, there are still some from the old regime that does not believe in the ways that Giles feels are necessary to train the girls. He does not believe in the Slayer handbook any more, believe in training the girls that way, and since some still do, he doesn't know if they all trust him. He knows he doesn't trust all of them. And Evans knew something. The way he delivered Bartlett's First theory indicated that he knew something.  
  
No one needed this right now. They were still recovering from the First; no one needed a new crisis. And knowing Xander as he did, he knows Xander will not tell anyone. He knows the only reason he was told is that Xander probably wanted to make sure that he didn't know anything.  
  
The phone on his desk ringing brings him out of his thoughts. "Giles," he answers it.  
  
"Um Mr. Giles? It's Andrew. We're supposed to be having a meeting right now. We were wondering where you were? If you're busy I can handle it."  
  
Giles suppresses a groan, "No Andrew I'll be there in a moment. Make sure everyone else is ready when I get there."  
  
"Ok. Oh and um, Xander's late too. Should I call him?"  
  
"Call his mobile." Giles says before hanging up the phone.  
  
As he walks through the Halls of the new council, he runs into Xander coming in.  
  
"How'd it go?" Xander asks.  
  
"Not as well as I had hoped, only old information," Giles says.  
  
"Hmmm," Xander says, "I have this, forgot to mention it before." He hands Giles a piece of paper which has Bartlett's address in South Africa. "Mom used to make me keep it with me, saying if something ever happened to them call that person. I forgot about it till now."  
  
"This is more helpful then what I have found," Giles says. "I'll inform you of everything else after the meeting."  
  
Xander nods and the two of them walk into the meeting together. As they both take seats at the table everyone quiets down.  
  
"Over the last few weeks, we at the Council have decided we don't have enough resources to send Watchers in the field for each new Slayer. What we are going to do is divide the world into sections. There will be a group in each sector, in the field bringing Slayers and their families back in to main cities. At the main cities, there will be someone who will get the girls and families to London, get them everything they need and send them here for training. If a girl does not want to be brought in, and we will, deal with this case by case, we will send a volunteer to them to assist making their decision. What I need are volunteers. A few Watchers for each location, and a few for roaming. I also would like a few Slayer volunteers to assist both types of teams," Giles looks around the room to see how his plan has been playing out. At the looks of approval he hands over the gathering the volunteers to another Watcher.  
  
He looks over at Xander who is looking at the scrap of paper in his hands. Giles narrows his eyes as he sees Xander's posture get a bit better. Giles remembers the address on the slip of paper, just as he hears the volunteer coordinator say, "I will need two people in Johannesburg, South Africa to coordinate bringing girls back and two teams for parts of Southern Africa."  
  
"I'll do it, either one sign me up," Xander says getting a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face that Giles had not seen him have in a long while. Giles knows that he is going to try to find Bartlett and wonders how he didn't anticipate this.  
  
And as the chaos erupts in the room coming out of Xander's announcement, Giles just hopes Xander knows what he is doing. 


	4. Part II Xander POV

Connections  
By Kalystia  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. There might be an original character in a later chapter, but as of right now, I don't own anything.  
  
Author's Notes: Please continue to review! It defiantly helps me write faster! Sorry this part wasn't up sooner, I was away from internet for a few weeks. Hope everyone likes this part! If you want to email me directly its kalystia1983@yahoo.com Also, if anyone would like to beta this let me know! This copy is unbeta'd so be kind.  
  
********************************************************** At the same time as Part II:  
  
"Ok thanks Aunt Kim. I'll be careful, I promise. Bye." Xander hangs up the phone after having a long conversation with his Aunt. Someone he hadn't spoken to in years because she and his father did not get along, but Xander has been trying everything for the last hour to get any information about his mother. He has gone through all the family names in his wallet- sized telephone book, which his mom always made him carry around when he was younger in case something happened and they need to contact family.  
  
Xander runs a hand through his hair, wondering how he never put any of these clues together. Now that he thinks back on it, he should have realized his mother knew something about Sunnydale's nightlife.  
  
He leans back on his bed and for what seems like the millionth time in the past hour, he wishes he had said something to his mother about what went on in Sunnydale. He had thought about it many times after Graduation, after they didn't need to live in Sunnydale anymore, nothing was really holding them there. His father could have gotten a job somewhere. Then his mother would have come clean with them before and they would have been able to figure this out calmly. Well, as calmly as they did things back then.  
  
Xander mentally shakes himself. He knows that doing that is a bad idea. He learned long ago not to play "what if" with himself. It hurts too much. What is done is done and he can't change it now and he has to live with it. This means he needs to figure out what is going on with him. What he is, or could be. He reminds himself that they don't have any solid proof that he is anything other then a perfectly normal human being. Only the guess of a man who was ingrained in the Watcher's Council. He could have been like Travers or Wesley when he first got to Sunnydale. But then again, he hid that Jessica was still alive and had a child, so Xander thinks that he is probably more like Giles.  
  
If they can't find the Watcher, Bartlett, then Xander can only hope that they find his mother's Watcher's diary. Xander knows that he is what he is and can't change that, though he does admit it would be nice to know what he is, but he would love to know what his mother was. Before everything. Before moving to Sunnydale and drinking herself into oblivion, before dealing with his father. Xander can only hope that he will like the person that she was.  
  
He turns back to the phone book and looks through it again, not seeing anyone else he could call for information. He folds it back together and goes to put it back in his wallet. He has trouble doing so, and pulls out some business cards and papers. He goes to look through them, figuring it would give himself something brainless to do for a few moments, to forget for a few moments.  
  
As he starts going through the cards he comes across a folded up piece of paper he always remembers having. Written across it in his mothers handwriting is "Keep with emergency numbers, call if something happens to me or dad." His mother had given that to him when he started carrying a wallet around all the time when he was 13. He doesn't ever recall opening it up, he just always remembers moving it from wallet to wallet, as even after he graduated high school, his mother used to ask if he had the piece of paper. Xander remember always just carrying it to please her in case she looked into his wallet. She would always call him a good boy, and give him a hug when she found it there.  
  
As the memories subside, Xander continues to look at the paper. He almost can figure out what it is before opening it. As he looks at what is written there, he sees the name James Bartlett, and an address for South Africa. There is a phone number too, but Xander is unsure if he should call him. There are some things you just don't want to find out about over the phone, and this might not be a current number. He doesn't want to get his hopes up until he has talked to Giles and knows for sure what is going on.  
  
His mother sure believed her old Watcher. She made sure that he would be able to call him and find out about what he is. To make sure he wouldn't get into any trouble if this is serious.  
  
Xander thinks about his situation again. Well now, he knows what the First saw in him, why the First had Caleb target him. And maybe he would have a reason for being a demon magnet. Maybe he did really attract them or something, and it wasn't just his dumb luck that he ended up dating or trying to date a ton of them.  
  
He looks over at the clock to see how long he has been sitting there, and realizes that they have a meeting at council headquarters today. He doesn't want it to look like something is wrong, he doesn't want to worry the girls at all, they have been through enough recently, and therefore, he has to go to the meeting.  
  
He's glad that the new council is in walking distance from the hotel they are staying in. He allows himself not to think for a few moments as he walks over, promising him he won't dwell on this until he finds out what Giles now knows.  
  
A block away from the new council his phone rings. "Hello?"  
  
"Xander?"  
  
"Andrew."  
  
"Um, are you coming to the meeting you're late. If you don't come I can take notes for you and let you know what happened."  
  
"No Andrew I'll be there in a few minutes."  
  
"Oh, Ok. Well, bye then."  
  
Xander chuckles as he realizes that Andrew sounded disappointed that Xander was coming, he sounded like he wanted to take notes for him. Xander shakes his head and walks into the Council building.  
  
He sees Giles walking through the Lobby as well, and moves to walk and talk with him. He knows that they are not able to talk freely because elements of the old council are still around and waiting to reassert themselves.  
  
"How'd it go?"  
  
"Not as well as I had hoped, only old information," Giles says to him.  
  
Xander pauses and thinks for a moment, "Hmmm." He then takes the paper that is still in his hand, "I have this, forgot to mention it before." He hands to paper to Giles and waits for him to open it. He knows there needs to be an explanation with it so he adds, "Mom used to make me keep it with me, saying if something ever happened to them to call that person. I forgot about it till now."  
  
"This is more helpful then what I have found. I'll inform you of everything else after the meeting."  
  
Xander nods as they continue to walk towards the meeting, it sounds as if Giles has had a few hours like he has. They walk into the meeting and Xander takes his seat at the table.  
  
He half listens to everything that is going on during the meeting. A lot of it is things that he and Giles have talked about before, when Giles was convincing him that becoming a Watcher was the right thing to do now.  
  
Xander looks at the paper in his hands again. So now, he just had to figure out how to get to South Africa without everyone wondering why. Xander sits up a bit straighter as he hears one of Giles's assistances calling for volunteers. They need volunteers in South Africa, or in Africa as a whole. Well that's one way of getting there without real suspicion. The girls won't like it, but he figures he can say that since he never really did the road trip after senior year, he'll do it now that they left Sunnydale.  
  
The second the Watcher calls for South Africa or Africa Xander says, "I'll do it, either one sign me up."  
  
He grins widely, knowing that he has a plan. And for the first time in a long time feels like he is in charge of his own life, that he will be able to do this on his own.  
  
And then as the chaos erupts in the room, he sees Giles lean back to let him deal with the girls. And Xander wonders, even though he has a plan, if it might have been easier not to tell Buffy and Willow. 


End file.
